One of the most striking song/video combinations I’ve come across this year is Lukasz Lach’s “Harder”, a continuation of the Polish singer-songwriter’s music video collaboration project. As highlighted in the previously posted “Don’t Haunt Me“, the project aims to cooperate with visual artists, who work with Lach’s original songs to complement the striking atmospheres his songwriting inspires and is inspired from. With “Harder”, Lach collaborated with Canadian-born, Spanish-based artist Marie Lou Desmeules, who he first discovered on the art blog Sweet Station. One aspect of Desmeules’ renowned work involved creating a “living sculpture” — like her Steve Jobs imitation – by using paint and other times on a face. In the video for “Harder”, Lach becomes the living sculpture; it’s a very engaging video and one that tends to fit well with the track’s hauntingly patient vibes.
As far as the song itself goes, “Harder” is excellent. Like a cross between David Bowie’s ballads and Scott Walker’s earlier pop croon, “Harder” works around an infectious chorus that croons “yes, yes, yes, yes” over haunting piano trickles and a creepily brilliant chorus-like effect in the voice. Prominent percussion doesn’t appear until the infectious final minute, but it’s a wise production choice — as the atmosphere carries the preceding moments. The contrast between Lach’s soothing voice and this momentous chorus results in a striking melodic dynamic that, combined with the interesting video, makes it Lach’s most memorable work to date. Look for more content from this project in the coming months.
